President pointed out that all parties should promote democracy across the globe while respecting the sovereignty of other countries.
Nusa Dua, Bali (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has expressed hope that the 5th Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) will promote democracy not only at the regional level but also at the global level.

"Every year, BDF must lead to concrete outcomes, which do not just remain on paper. Every year, we reaffirm our understanding of democracy through the exchange of ideas and democratic values of various countries," he said during the opening of the event at the Bali International Convention Centre (BICC) here on Thursday morning.

The head of state noted that BDF was becoming increasingly prominent as a global platform for promoting democracy, because the number of countries taking part in the forum has been rising every year. Therefore, he added, the forum's contribution to the promotion of global democracy also "must increase with each passing year".

At the forum, which was attended by nine heads of state and two deputy prime ministers, President Yudhoyono stated that all parties could express their views and share their experience on democracy in their respective countries.

"The implementation of good democratic values will be beneficial in developing the economy, politics, and other sectors. Therefore, this forum is becoming increasingly relevant," he explained.

However, the President pointed out that all parties should promote democracy across the globe while respecting the sovereignty of other countries.

Cited the case of Syria, President Yudhoyono expressed hope that the world would join hands to find a solution to the problems facing the country.

Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs Marty Natalegawa, in his report, stated: "The BDF continues to grow from year to year, adapting to the needs and current situation of the region".

"The main agenda of the 1st BDF, which was held in 2008, was the consolidation of democratic values in the region. Then, the 2nd and 3rd BDFs focused on promoting democratic values in a safe and stable environment," he said.

Marty noted that the main objective of the 4th BDF was to promote democratic values at the national as well as regional levels.

At the 5th BDF, themed "Advancing Democratic Principles at The Global Setting", Marty said all parties must first evaluate the achievements made since the previous BDF, before continuing to promote democratic values across the globe.

As many as 11 heads of state attended the forum, including President Yudhoyono, Afghan President Hamid Karzai, South Korean President Lee Myung Bank, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Timor Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, and Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O`Neill. The deputy prime ministers of Nepal and Singapore were also present at the event.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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